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Flatbed Accidents

Truck Crash Lawyers Serving the Memphis Area

There are many types of commercial trucks. One is a flatbed truck, which carries cargo without enclosing it within walls or sides. This type of truck often carries cargo that cannot fit inside a closed trailer, such as logs, and it has its own unique potential dangers. If you are injured in a flatbed accident in Tennessee or elsewhere in the South, the Memphis flatbed accident lawyers at Nahon, Saharovich & Trotz may be able to help you recover damages. Not all truck accident attorneys understand how to pursue truck drivers and trucking companies for compensation. NST is the way to go.

Bringing a Claim Based on a Flatbed Accident

Flatbed accidents may result from unsecured or improperly secured cargo. Heavy items like logs or cranes may fall from a flatbed and hit a passenger car or motorcycle, causing catastrophic injuries to operators of these vehicles and their passengers. Truck drivers are required to follow federal regulations promulgated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), as well as state regulations. The FMCSA regulations require that cargo be properly secured, among other things, as well as proper maintenance.

If flying cargo in a flatbed accident injures you, you may be able to sue for negligence and recover damages. You will need to show that more likely than not, the truck driver failed to use reasonable care to secure the cargo, and this caused your injuries. Sometimes accidents are the fault of multiple people. For example, unsecured cargo might cause another driver to lose control of their vehicle and hit your car. There may have been a chance to avoid the cargo, and in that case, the other driver may be partially to blame for your injuries. Our flatbed accident attorneys can help Memphis residents identify all of the parties who may have been at fault for a crash.

Many states no longer follow the rule of joint and several liability, whereby drivers are only responsible for damages up to their own degree of fault, as determined by a jury. With a few exceptions, in Tennessee, the doctrine of joint and several liability has been abolished. (The exceptions involve civil conspiracy cases and product liability actions involving manufacturers when the lawsuit is based on a theory of strict liability or breach of warranty.) Thus, for example, if a truck driver is 65% responsible for flying cargo, another driver is 35% responsible for failing to pay attention and swerving into your vehicle, and the total damages are $1 million, you may be able to recover $650,000 from the truck driver and $350,000 from the other driver.

You may also be able to hold a trucking company directly or indirectly liable after a flatbed accident. Trucking companies are supposed to make sure that their truck drivers are competent and careful on the road. Among other things, they are required by law to conduct background checks on their drivers. If they fail to conduct a background check or ignore red flags and hire someone incompetent who fails to secure cargo properly, they may be held liable under a theory of negligent hiring. They may be vicariously liable for a flatbed accident that arises out of negligence in the course of employment. This may be helpful because trucking companies typically have insurance policies with a greater amount of coverage than do individual drivers.

Consult a Flatbed Accident Lawyer in Memphis or Beyond

If you are injured in a flatbed accident in Tennessee or another state in the South, you likely have legal options to consider. Our firm, which employs over 30 attorneys and 100 staff members, may be able to help you recover the damages that you deserve. Our Memphis flatbed accident attorneys serve victims and their families throughout Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, Arkansas, and Mississippi, including in Memphis, Chattanooga, Knoxville, Nashville, Caruthersville, Hayti, Oxford, Starkville, Grenada, Columbus, Tupelo, Meridian, Jackson, Little Rock, and Jonesboro. Call Nahon, Saharovich & Trotz at 800-529-4004 or complete our online form to set up a free appointment with a motor vehicle collision lawyer.

Our Memphis Offices
Main Memphis OFFICE

488 S. Mendenhall Road Memphis, TN 38117

Phone: 901-683-7000

Fax: 901-462-3350

Whitehaven Office

4466 Elvis Presley Blvd

Suite 143
Memphis, TN 38116

Phone: 901-300-2400
Fax: 901-462-3350

Testimonials
- Climas B.
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"They stayed with my case until everything was resolved. My situation was complicated and they ensured things were in check from start to finish."
- Vicki L.
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"From start to finish it was a good experience. They listened and handled my case with compassion and care. I highly recommend them."
- Tasha S.
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"I was involved in a auto accident with my mother and she suggested NST to handle the case for us. Everything was handled professionally and in a timely manner."
Client Successes
$3,000,000.00
Obtained in tractor-trailer accident case for a husband and wife that suffered traumatic injuries.
$2,200,000.00
Recovered in car accident case against construction company in which our client suffered a traumatic brain injury.
$1,500,000.00
Received for a woman injured in car accident while on the job, who sustained numerous fractures and underwent several surgeries.
Content Reviewer Box for A. Parker Trotz with his awards and credentials